Killer dogs for sale online

Many illegal dog breeders are flouting the law by advertising potentially lethal pit bull terriers for sale online.

Last week, 11-month-old Ava-Jayne Corless was mauled to death as she slept by a pit bull known as “Killer”. Her mum, Chloe King, 20, and her 26-year-old partner, Lee Wright, of Blackburn, Lancs, have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

It was just the latest in a series of sickening dog maulings.

Pit bull terriers, which are often used in organised fighting rings, are among several breeds banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act. This makes it illegal to own, breed or advertise the dogs without a Certificate of Exemption, which is granted only if the dog is neutered and microchipped. It also bans selling and importing them.

But a Sunday Post investigation has revealed illegal breeders are flouting the law by selling banned breeds online.

Numerous sellers across the country are advertising American pit bull terrier puppies. These are often touted under names such as “red nose terriers” which is code for pit bulls. Other banned breeds are also being advertised.

One unscrupulous breeder on the Isle of Mull offered to sell our reporter a banned Dogo Argentino puppy for £350. He grilled our man on his suitability as an owner before agreeing to do a deal. However, when we requested a face-to-face meeting, he backed out and said he’d deliver the dog through a third party.

Mike Flynn, chief superintendent of animal welfare charity Scottish SPCA, said: “It is a criminal offence to sell any breed of dog which is banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act. We would be very concerned about the motive of anyone purchasing a banned breed of dog or offering them for sale. American pit bulls are often used in dog fighting and our Special Investigations Unit regularly gathers intelligence on this barbaric and illegal activity.”

Dog attacks in Scotland which left victims needing hospital treatment have doubled in the past 15 years, from 273 in 1999 to 554 in 2011/12. In December, First Minister Alex Salmond launched a crackdown, announcing new laws which will mean every dog owner in Scotland will need to license and microchip their pet.

Labour MSP Graeme Pearson claimed greater emphasis must be put on the suitability of the owners as well as the legal status of the dogs.

He said: “The notion of a banned breed has not captured the full difficulty of enforcement because authorities find it difficult to identify individual dogs belonging to a banned breed. It is often not the dogs themselves that are dangerous, it is the irresponsibility of the owners and the way they look after them that creates violence.”

Last October, eight-year-old Broagan McCuaig was playing with her friends in Garthamlock, Glasgow, when she was set upon by two vicious American bulldogs.

The brave youngster suffered severe facial injuries, a broken right leg and serious lacerations to her left leg after the two dogs broke free from their owner. Her life was saved by 24-year-old Mark Keenan, who saw the dogs tearing at her and courageously rained kicks on one of the dogs to force it to release her.

Dog attack victim Claire Kerwin has demanded a change in the law after the owner of a dog that savaged her and her two-year-old daughter got off scot-free.

Claire, 29, and daughter Layney, were walking down a road in Dundee when a German shepherd attacked the pair. The dog seized the child’s arm but Claire managed to grab her daughter and put her on a car roof. As she did, it tore into Claire’s legs and thighs. Owner Robina Caesar, 67, was cleared of any wrongdoing at Dundee Sheriff Court due to a loophole in the Dangerous Dogs Act which states that if a dog attacks for the first time its owner would not have been able to predict its behaviour.

The mum of 11-month-old Ava-Jayne Corless, who was killed by a pit bull terrier, said she would do anything to have her “Twinkle” back. Baby Ava was killed as she slept. Her mum, Chloe King, and boyfriend Lee Wright, who owned the dog, are on bail after being arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and child neglect.

She said: “I want the world to know how much I love her, miss her and cherished every moment with her. I carried her for nine months, almost lost my life bringing her into the world, and would do anything to have her back. I love you, Twinkle, you are my world.”

Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill said: “We have long-standing laws in place to help protect members of the public from dangerous dogs, including tough new powers for local authorities to impose dog control orders on out of control dogs. I fully support police, prosecutors and courts in holding owners to account where the law has been breached.

“While there are many responsible dog owners in Scotland, we are currently consulting on measures such as microchipping to improve dog ownership and to help improve animal welfare and safeguard our communities. Our consultation will consider whether more can be done to ensure people are properly protected. If adopted, microchipping could also help authorities bring offenders to justice by making owners directly accountable for their dog’s behaviour.

“We want to hear what the public think about these new proposed measures to encourage more responsible dog ownership and this includes views on whether a new system of dog licensing, could help ultimately further improve public safety.”